[UPDATED] Bersatu denies blocking parties from joining PN

KUALA LUMPUR: Bersatu has refuted claims that the party is blocking Muslim unity by opposing applications from other political parties to officially join Perikatan Nasional.

The Bersatu political bureau said its current stance focuses on establishing an electoral pact with these parties first, before considering full membership.

“Bersatu’s stance is that PN can first establish an electoral pact with these parties, and their admission as component parties can be considered at a later stage,” the bureau said in a statement.

Bersatu said this was PN’s stance from before, and the decision was maintained during the coalition’s supreme council meeting on May 16.

“A committee was established to refine the terms of electoral cooperation, including seat allocations.

“Despite various views being put forward during the PN supreme council meeting, this decision was agreed upon by all members. This is a collective decision reached by consensus for the strategic interests and overall stability of PN.

“We regret the accusations levelled by the Pas president. Bersatu supports all decisions of the supreme council and has successfully reached a consensus for the unity and strength of PN built over the past six years.”

On May 22, Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang had said that Bersatu had blocked the admission of Malay-Muslim parties into PN.

“They did not agree to new memberships in PN. We want to increase our numbers in PN, but they suddenly rejected it. This is displeasing to us,” he had said.

© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd

المصدر: New Straits Times